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Wilcox H, Bishop S, Francis B, Lombard K, Beresford SAA, Ornelas IJ. Process evaluation of the Yéego! Program to increase healthy eating and gardening among American Indian elementary school children. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:232. [PMID: 38243203 PMCID: PMC10797868 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-17689-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND American Indian children are at increased risk for obesity and diabetes. School-based health promotion interventions are one approach to promoting healthy behaviors to reduce this risk, yet few studies have described their implementation and fidelity. We conducted a qualitative process evaluation of the Yéego! Healthy Eating and Gardening Program, a school-based intervention to promote healthy eating among Navajo elementary school children. The intervention included a yearlong integrated curriculum, as well as the construction and maintenance of a school-based garden. METHODS Our process evaluation included fidelity checklists completed by program staff and qualitative interviews with program staff and classroom teachers after the intervention was implemented. We used content analysis to identify themes. RESULTS We identified several themes related to evidence of delivery adherence, program satisfaction, and lessons learned about delivery. Intervention staff followed similar procedures to prepare for and deliver lessons, but timing, teaching styles, and school-level factors also impacted overall implementation fidelity. Teachers and students had positive perceptions of the program, especially lessons that were highly visual, experiential, and connected to Navajo culture and the surrounding community. Teachers and program staff identified ways to enhance the usability of the curriculum by narrowing the scope, relating content to student experiences, and aligning content with school curriculum standards. CONCLUSIONS The program was implemented with moderately high fidelity across contexts. We identified areas where modifications could improve engagement, acceptability, efficacy, and sustainability of the program. Our results have implications for the evaluation and dissemination of school-based health interventions to promote healthy eating among children, especially in American Indian communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Wilcox
- University of Washington, Box 351621, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Sonia Bishop
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, USA
| | | | | | | | - India J Ornelas
- University of Washington, Box 351621, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
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Kracht CL, Burkart S, Flanagan EW, Melnick E, Luecking C, Neshteruk C. Policy, system, and environmental interventions addressing obesity and diet-related outcomes in early childhood education settings: A systematic review. Obes Rev 2023; 24:e13547. [PMID: 36601716 PMCID: PMC10214414 DOI: 10.1111/obr.13547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Early childhood education (ECE) settings play an important role in child dietary intake and excess weight gain. Policy, systems, and environment (PSE) approaches have potential to reduce disparities in children at higher risk for obesity. The purpose of this review was to (1) characterize the inclusion of populations at higher risk for obesity in ECE interventions and (2) identify effective ECE interventions in these populations. Seven databases were searched for ECE interventions. Intervention characteristics and methodological quality were assessed in 35 articles representing 34 interventions. Interventions identified were mainly a combination of ECE and parent interventions (41%) or stand-alone ECE intervention (29%), with few multisector efforts (23%) or government regulations assessed (5%). Many included policy (70%) or social environment components (61%). For Aim 1, two thirds were conducted in primarily populations at higher risk for obesity (67%). Studies were rated as fair or good methodological quality. For Aim 2, 10 studies demonstrated effectiveness at improving diet or reducing obesity in populations at higher risk for obesity. Most included a longer intervention (i.e., >6 months), multiple PSE components, and formative work. Opportunities to incorporate more PSE components in ECE-based interventions and collaborate with parents and communities are warranted to improve child health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea L. Kracht
- Clinical Science Department, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Sarah Burkart
- Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Emily W. Flanagan
- Clinical Science Department, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Emily Melnick
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Courtney Luecking
- Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Cody Neshteruk
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Patel D, Sisson SB, Sleet K, Rickman R, Love C, Taniguchi T, Sisk M, Jernigan VBB. Changes in Meal and Menu Quality at Early Care and Education Programs after Training with Food Service Staff: the FRESH Study. Curr Dev Nutr 2023; 7:100040. [PMID: 37181935 PMCID: PMC10111590 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2023.100040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Prevalence of obesity in Native American (NA) children is disproportionately high, indicating a higher risk of health disparities. Many children attend early care and education (ECE) programs, presenting an opportune environment to improve meal and menu quality as the intake of healthy foods is associated with lowered risk of childhood obesity. Objectives We aimed to examine the effectiveness of food service staff training on meals and menu quality across NA ECEs. Methods Food service staff from 9 participating ECE programs attended a 3-h training focused on Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) best practices, and received a tailored, best-practice menu, and healthy recipes. Meals and menus prepared across 1 wk were examined per CACFP serving size assumptions at baseline, 4 mos, 6 mos, and 12 mos for all 9 programs. Healthy Eating Index (HEI), CACFP requirements and best practices achievement, and food substitutions quality (classified into superior, equivalent, and inferior based on the nutritional quality) were calculated. A repeated measures ANOVA model was used to determine the differences across time points. Results The total meal HEI score increased significantly from baseline to 4 mos (71.1 ± 2.1; 78.6 ± 5.0; P = 0.004), but did not differ from baseline to 12 mos. Menu CACFP requirements and best practices achievement did not differ across time points, although achievement with CACFP requirements was already high at baseline. Superior nutrition quality substitutions declined from baseline to 6 mos (32.4 ± 8.9; 19.5 ± 10.9; P = 0.007); however, it did not differ from baseline to 12 mos. Equivalent and inferior quality substitutions did not differ across time points. Conclusions Implementing a best-practice menu with healthy recipes showed immediate improvements in meal quality. Although the change did not sustain, this study showed evidence of an opportunity to educate and train food service staff. Robust efforts are needed for improving both meals and menus.This trial was registered ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03251950 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03251950?cond=food+resource+equity&draw=2&rank=1).
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Patel
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Susan B. Sisson
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Kaysha Sleet
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- University Medical Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Rachel Rickman
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Charlotte Love
- School of Health Care Administration, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Tori Taniguchi
- Center for Indigenous Health Research and Policy, Oklahoma State University, Tulsa, OK, USA
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Subramaniam M, Devi F, AshaRani PV, Zhang Y, Wang P, Jeyagurunathan A, Roystonn K, Vaingankar JA, Chong SA. Barriers and facilitators for adopting a healthy lifestyle in a multi-ethnic population: A qualitative study. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0277106. [PMID: 36322596 PMCID: PMC9629631 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
A healthy lifestyle is defined as ‘a way of living that lowers the risk of being seriously ill or dying early.’ Although barriers and facilitators of healthy lifestyles have been well-studied among populations like those with chronic non-communicable diseases, adolescents, and older adults in Asia, less information is available on barriers and facilitators perceived by the general adult population. Using a qualitative methodology and leveraging the socio-ecological model, the current study aimed to understand the barriers and facilitators of a healthy lifestyle in a sample of Singapore residents. Overall, 30 semi-structured interviews were conducted in English and other local languages from August 2020 to March 2021. Transcripts were analysed using framework analysis. Five main themes pertaining to personal, interpersonal, environmental, socio-cultural, and policy-level factors were classified under the two overarching categories of barriers and facilitators of healthy lifestyles. The results of this study offer important insights into understanding the barriers and facilitators to the adoption of a healthy lifestyle among people in Singapore. Furthermore, our findings illustrate the complex interplay between individuals, social relationships, environment, and policy that can act as either a barrier or a facilitator to adopting a healthy lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mythily Subramaniam
- Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, Singapore
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- * E-mail:
| | - Fiona Devi
- Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, Singapore
| | - P. V. AshaRani
- Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yunjue Zhang
- Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Peizhi Wang
- Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | | | | | - Siow Ann Chong
- Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, Singapore
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Taniguchi T, Haslam A, Sun W, Sisk M, Hayman J, Jernigan VBB. Impact of a Farm-to-School Nutrition and Gardening Intervention for Native American Families from the FRESH Study: A Randomized Wait-List Controlled Trial. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14132601. [PMID: 35807781 PMCID: PMC9268191 DOI: 10.3390/nu14132601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Establishing healthy eating habits during childhood is critical to prevent chronic diseases that develop in adulthood. Tribally owned Early Childhood and Education (ECE) programs signify fundamental influence in childhood obesity disparities. A strategy to improve diet is the use of school gardens; however, few studies have used rigorous methods to assess diet and health outcomes. The purpose of this manuscript is to describe results from the six-month Food Resource Equity for Sustainable Health (FRESH) study among Native American families. We aimed to recruit 176 families of children attending Osage Nation ECE programs in four communities. Two communities received the intervention and two served as wait-list controls. Outcomes included change in dietary intake, body mass index, health status, systolic blood pressure (adults only), and food insecurity in children and parents. There were 193 children (n = 106 intervention; n = 87 control) and 170 adults (n = 93 intervention; n = 77 control) enrolled. Vegetable intake significantly increased in intervention children compared to controls for squash (p = 0.0007) and beans (p = 0.0002). Willingness to try scores increased for beans in intervention children (p = 0.049) and tomatoes in both groups (p = 0.01). FRESH is the first study to implement a farm-to-school intervention in rural, tribally owned ECEs. Future interventions that target healthy dietary intake among children should incorporate a comprehensive parent component in order to support healthy eating for all household members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tori Taniguchi
- Center for Indigenous Health Research and Policy, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK 74135, USA;
- Correspondence:
| | - Alyson Haslam
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA;
| | - Wenjie Sun
- Department of Rural Health, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK 74135, USA;
| | - Margaret Sisk
- Osage Nation, Harvest Land, Pawhuska, OK 74056, USA; (M.S.); (J.H.)
| | - Jann Hayman
- Osage Nation, Harvest Land, Pawhuska, OK 74056, USA; (M.S.); (J.H.)
| | - Valarie Blue Bird Jernigan
- Center for Indigenous Health Research and Policy, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK 74135, USA;
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